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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2023 Jan-Feb;43(1):39-45.
doi: 10.1097/JCP.0000000000001639.

α-Lipoic Acid as Adjunctive Treatment for Schizophrenia: A Randomized Double-Blind Study

David Nunes De Lima Jr  1 , Carlos Winston Luz Costa Filho  2 , Ilgner Justa Frota  3 , Alissandra Lima Barbosa de Oliveira  4 , Carlos Eduardo de Souza Menezes  4 , Adriano José Maia Chaves Filho  3 , Glautemberg de Almeida Viana  5 , Eugênio de Moura Campos  1 , Mônica Collares  1 , Maria Goretti Rodrigues de Queiroz  5 , Said Gonçalvez da Cruz Fonseca  6 , Silvânia Maria Mendes Vasconcelos  3 , Danielle S Macêdo  3 , Lia Lira Olivier Sanders  1
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

α-Lipoic Acid as Adjunctive Treatment for Schizophrenia: A Randomized Double-Blind Study

David Nunes De Lima Jr et al. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2023 Jan-Feb.

Abstract

Background/purpose: There is evidence for low endogenous antioxidant levels and oxidative imbalance in patients with schizophrenia. A previous open-label study with α-lipoic acid (ALA), a potent antioxidant, improved patients' negative and cognitive symptoms and markers of lipid peroxidation. Here we report the results of a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study to verify the response of patients with schizophrenia to adjunctive treatment with ALA (100 mg/d) in a 4-month follow-up.

Methods: We conducted a 16-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of ALA at 100 mg/d dosages. We compared negative and positive symptoms, cognitive function, extrapyramidal symptoms, body mass index, and oxidative/inflammatory parameters between placebo and control groups.

Results: We found no significant improvement in body mass index, cognition, psychopathology, antipsychotic adverse effects, or oxidative stress and inflammation in the experimental group compared with placebo. The whole group of patients improved in several measures, indicating a strong placebo effect in this population. A surprising finding was a significant decrease in red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the group treated with ALA.

Conclusions: The decrease in red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelet counts requires further investigation and attention when prescribing ALA for patients with schizophrenia.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03788759.

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References

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